Mailable disposable viewer

ABSTRACT

A viewer made of inexpensive material such as paper and designed to be disposed of after minimum usage. The viewer is constructed of a blank of paper having means for forming an envelope around the viewer portion for mailing and being separable from the viewer portion for disposing of such envelope portion. The viewer portion has a magnifying lens and means for receiving a slide viewable through the lens and is foldable into a box-like viewer having a handle.

United States Patent 11 1 Martin 1 1 Sept. 4, 1973 MAILABLE DISPOSABLEVIEWER [76] lnventor: Robert L. Martin, 14313 NE. f Y' Schonberg FremontPortland Greg 97230 Assistant ExammerM1chael J. Tokar Att0rneyEugene M.Eckelman [22] Filed: July 21, 1971 Appl. No.1 164,503

[57] ABSTRACT A viewer made of inexpensive material such as paper anddesigned to be disposed of after minimum usage. The viewer isconstructed of a blank of paper having means for forming an envelopearound the viewer portion for mailing and being separable from theviewer portion for disposing of such envelope portion. The viewerportion has a magnifying lens and means for receiving a slide viewablethrough the lens and is foldable into a box-like viewer having a handle.

2 Claims, 8 Drawing Figures {as Y IO ea g 52. g 20 50 1 "34' E -44 ee58/17\}i\\46 i p /-54 PATENTED 3E? sum 1 BF 2 I III/I 1111/ llrfr IINVENTOR ROBERT L. MARTIN 5 M? W X Q MM ATTORNEY PArsmmsanma 3.756.699

SHEET 2 0F 2 ROBERT L. MA RTI N 8 QW MZZMM ATTORNEY MAILABLE DISPOSABLEVIEWER This invention relates to new and useful improvements in viewersarranged to receive transparencies or the like for viewing inenlargement, the viewer being of a type which can be disposed of afterminimum usage.

A primary objective of the present invention is to provide a novelstructure of viewer which is intended for disposable use after minimumusage and which in its manufacture from a blank comprises a separablepart of a blank portion which before being separated comprises foldableflaps for serving as an envelope.

Another object is to provide a viewer arranged to be constructed from ablank of paper having a novel arrangement of fold lines, glue lines andcut-out portions serving to accomplish construction of the abovementioned viewer.

Another object is to provide a viewer of the type described which hasface surfaces capable of carrying advertising messages.

The invention will be better understood and additional objects andadvantages will become apparent from the following description taken inconnection with the accompanying drawings which illustrate a preferredform of the device.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS FIG. I is a plan view of a blank fromwhich the viewer of the instant invention is constructed;

FIG. 2 is a plan view of the viewer folded with its envelope portionthereof into a mailable position;

FIG. 3 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 3-3 of FIG.2;

FIG. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken on the line 4--4of FIG. 2;

FIG. 5 is a perspective view of a viewer portion of the presentinvention separated from the envelope portion and folded into a viewerconstruction;

FIG. 6 is a cross sectional view of the viewer portion taken on the line6-6 of FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 is a plan view of a blank from which a modified structure ofviewer is constructed; and

FIG. 8 is a cross sectional view of a viewer formed from the blank ofFIG. 7 with the viewer being shown in folded condition for mailing.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF A PREFERRED EMBODIMENT One form of viewer of thepresent invention is constructed from a blank of paper 10, FIG. 1. Thisblank comprises in general three main longitudinal panels 12, 14 and 16.Panels 12 and 14 are connected by a fold line 18 and panels 14 and 16are connected by a perforated line 20 which as will be seen hereinafterserves as a fold line for holding the panel 16 into a compact unit withthe other panels for mailing and also as a tear line to remove the panel16 when desired. Panel 12 has a narrow panel 22 connected longitudinallyalong its outer edge by a fold line 24 and this panel has a glue surface26 thereon.

Panel 14 has end tabs 28 connected thereto by fold lines 30. 7

Panel 16 comprises the viewer portion and has five sections 32, 34, 38and 40. Sections 32 and 34 are connected by a fold line 42, sections 34and 36 are connected by a fold line 44, sections 36 and 38 are connectedby a fold line 46, and sections 38 and 40 are connected by a fold line48. Sections 34 has an aperture 50 therein for supporting a lens 52, andsection 38 has a viewing aperture 54, which as will be seen hereinaftercomprises a viewing aperture for a slide 56, FIG. 6, to be viewedthrough the lens 53 when the viewer is folded. Section 38 has a pair oftabs 58 cut therein on opposite sides of the aperture 54 for removablysupporting a slide 56 on the viewer, FIG. 6, as will be more apparenthereinafter. For purposes of assembly, the lens has a peripheral groove53 and has snap-in engagement in aperture 50.

Panel 16 is shorter at one end than the panel 14, and extending fromsuch shorter end of the panel 16 is a tab 60. The opposite end of thepanel 16, namely, the section 40 thereof, has a U-shaped cut line 62arranged to receive the tab 60 in a folded position of panel 16,hereinafter described in greater detail. Such panel when separated fromthe rest of the blank can be formed into the viewer shown in FIGS. 5 and6. However, before its separation the other panel sections are arrangedto serve as an envelope for mailing the viewer. For this latter purpose,and with reference to FIGS. 1, 3 and 4, the panel 16 is folded over ontop of the panel 14 by means of the fold line 20. The flaps 28 are thenfolded inwardly to overlie the panel 16. Thereupon, the panel 12 isfolded on top of the flaps 28 and the panel 16 and the glue panel 22folded under and glued to the bottom of panel 14 for holding the foldedunit together. Such structure forms an enclosure for the panel 16 and asseen in FIG. 2 the panel 12 may be provided with a suitable address 64,a return address 66 and a postage stamp 68 for mailing.

If desired, the panels 12 and 14 which are originally connected to theviewer portion panel 16 may be used for purposes other than an envelope,such as for supporting panel 16 as a tear sheet in magazines or books,whereby the printer can assemble the blank with the magazine or booksand then said viewer, namely the panel 16, torn out by the consumer.Panels 12 and 14 thus serve in an instance as carrying means, whetherserving as an envelope or as support therefor in magazines or books.

To form the viewer, the panel 16 is torn from the remaining portion ofthe blank. Thereupon, it is folded into the box-like shape of FIGS. 5and 6 and the tab 60 inserted in the cut line 62 for locking engagement.The

fold lines 42, 44 are formed into square joints whereupon a portion ofthe viewer will form a rectangular box-like structure with the lens 52and viewing aperture 54 being substantially horizontally aligned. Aslide 56 is then mounted behind the tabs 58 for viewing through thelens. Slide 56 can bea single slide as shown or multiple slides mountedin a single holder and viewed successively in the aperture 54 by lateralmovement of the holder. Section 40 serves as a handle for holding theviewer.

The viewer has many surfaces upon which advertising matter can beprinted, such as on the face of section 34, the top section 36, the backof section 38, and the projecting or handle portion 40.

FIGS. 7 and 8 show an alternative form of the invention. It comprises ablank 10 the structure of which is the same as the embodiment of FIG. 1to the extent that it has three main longitudinal panels 12'14' and 16'.The blank 10' also has a narrow panel 22' with a glue surface 26 on oneside. The panel 16', as in FIG. I, has individual sections 32, 34', 36',and 40. Section 34 has an aperture 50' for receiving a lens and section38' has a viewing aperture 54. Section 38 also has tabs 58' forremovably supporting a slide, and section 40 has cut lines 62 forreceiving a tab 60' on section 32 when the viewer is folded. The viewerpanel 16' is provided with fold lines 42', 44', 46 and 48 as in thefirst embodiment.

Panel 22' is connected to panel 12' by an intermediate narrow panelstrip 70 with fold lines 72 being provided on each side of the panel 70.Similarly, panels 12 and 14' are connected together by a narrow panelstrip 74, with the connections on opposite sides of the panel strip 70comprising fold lines 76. Also, panels 14' and 16 are connected togetherby a narrow panel strip 78, with the panel strip 78 being connected tothe panel 14 by a fold line 80 and being connected to the panel 16 by atear line 82, whereby the panel 16 may be separated from the remainingportion of the blank.

Panel 14' has end tabs 28 connected thereto in spaced relation by stripportions 84 through means of a pair of fold lines 86.

The blank is folded for mailing identical to the embodiment of FIG. 1.The added strips 70, 74, 78 and 84, however, provide a box-likestructure when the blank is folded. A folded condition of the viewer isshown in FIG. 8 which comprises a cross sectional view. Such foldedbox-like construction forms a container which may be used to encloseslides or the like.

The viewer of FIG. 7 is similar to the FIG. 1 embodiment in that whenreceived by the purchaser the panel portion 16' can be torn off on line82 and folded into the viewer of FIG. 5. i

It is to be understood that the form of my invention herein shown anddescribed is to be taken as a preferred example of the same and thatvarious changes in the shape, size and arrangement of parts may be resorted to without departing from the spirit of my invention or the scopeof the subjoined claims.

Having thus described by invention, I claim:

1. A disposable viewer comprising a blank of sheet material, anelongated viewer portion of said blank of sheet material havingtransverse fold lines selectively arranged to form top bottom, front andrear wall sections as well as a depending handle upon shaping saidviewer portion at said fold lines into a box-like structure wherein saidfront and rear wall sections of said viewer portion are disposed inparallel spaced relation, the sides of said box-like structure beingopen, a lens in said front wall section, means defining a viewingaperture in said rear wall section for viewing display material inmagnified relation through said lens, a pair of opposed tabs on oppositesides of said viewing aperture arranged to removably support displaymaterial in said aperture, a tab on one end of said viewer portion,means defining a cut portion adjacent the other end of said viewerportion for receiving said tab for holding said viewer portion in itsbox-like structure, a carrying portion in said blank of sheet materialhaving a pair of elongated panels connected longitudinally by a foldline, said carrying 'portion being connected to said viewer portion inparallel relation thereto, said connection of the carrying portion tothe viewer portion comprising a tear line for removal of the carryingportion when the viewer portion is to be folded, said viewer portionhaving a length at least as short as said carrying portion and said twopanels being arranged to be wrapped around the viewer portion forming amailing envelope therefor, a glue tab on one of said panels for holdingthe panels wrapped around said viewer portion, and end tabs on one ofsaid pair of panels arranged to overlie the ends of said viewer portionand to confine loose display material within the envelope.

2. The disposable viewer of claim 1 wherein said viewer portion isconnected to one of said pair of panels by a panel strip which has afold line connection with said one of said pair of panels and said tearline connection with said viewer portion, said two panels being arrangedto be folded around the viewer for forming a mailing envelope therefor,said panel strips in the folded position of the two panels forming sidewalls of the envelope tp provide space on the interior thereof, said endtabs on the carrying portion being connected to said one of said pair ofpanels by a panel strip having fold line connections with said one ofsaid pair of panels with said tab to form end walls of the envelope.

1. A disposable viewer comprising a blank of sheet material, anelongated viewer portion of said blank of sheet material havingtransverse fold lines selectively arranged to form top bottom, front andrear wall sections as well as a depending handle upon shaping saidviewer portion at said fold lines into a box-like structure wherein saidfront and rear wall sections of said viewer portion are disposed inparallel spaced relation, the sides of said box-like structure beingopen, a lens in said front wall section, means defining a viewingaperture in said rear wall section for viewing display material inmagnified relation through said lens, a pair of opposed tabs on oppositesides of said viewing aperture arranged to removably support displaymaterial in said aperture, a tab on one end of said viewer portion,means defining a cut portion adjacent the other end of said viewerportion for receiving said tab for holding said viewer portion in itsbox-like structure, a carrying portion in said blank of sheet materialhaving a pair of elongated panels connected longitudinally by a foldline, said carrying portion being connected to said viewer portion inparallel relation thereto, said connection of the carrying portion tothe viewer portion comprising a tear line for removal of the carryingportion when the viewer portion is to be folded, said viewer portionhaving a length at least as short as said carrying portion and said twopanels being arranged to be wrapped around the viewer portion forming amailing envelope therefor, a glue tab on one of said panels for holdingthe panels wrapped around said viewer portion, and end tabs on one ofsaid pair of panels arranged to overlie the ends of said viewer portionand to confine loose display material within the envelope.
 2. Thedisposable viewer of claim 1 wherein said viewer portion is connected toone of said pair of panels by a panel strip which has a fold lineconnection with said one of said pair of panels and said tear lineconnection with said viewer portion, said two panels being arranged tobe folded around the viewer for forming a mailing envelope therefor,said panel strips in the folded position of the two panels forming sidewalls of the envelope tp provide space on the interior thereof, said endtabs on the carrying portion being connected to said one of said pair ofpanels by a panel strip having fold line connections with said one ofsaid pair of panels with said tab to form end walls of the envelope.